Pakistan will likely buy white sugar vigorously after removal of import duty on both raw and white sugar as it is now late to import much more raw sugar for refining in the domestic crush, operators said on Wednesday. Market sources estimated Pakistan could be looking to buy up to 400,000 tons white sugar, potentially giving business to Brazilian, Thai and Saudi refined sugar producers and to Dubai's Al-Khaleej refinery.
A Karachi-based trader said the market estimates a maximum of 300,000 tons sugar would be imported during 2005. "Everybody is in talks but no deals have been done yet," one senior operator said, referring to an expected tender to buy 150,000 tons white sugar.